The Nigerian team pose with Professor Kerr and James Ng prior to friendly match
Miri – 4 October 2010 – Nigerian students studying at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) marked their country’s 50th Independence Day on 1 October 2010 with a number of activities.
The activities included courtesy calls on the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Curtin Sarawak, Professor Ian Kerr, and Chief Operating Officer James Ng, as well as Miri mayor Lawrence Lai.
The students also made charity visits to the Miri Methodist Children’s Home in Pujut and the Sarawak Orphanage Charitable Board’s Hamidah Complex in Permyjaya New Township, where they donated toys, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs and hampers.
Later in the day, they played a friendly football match against a ‘Rest of the World’ selection comprising fellow students of various nationalities at the Curtin Sarawak campus. The Nigerians won by 3 goals to 1.
In the evening, they upheld their spirit of brotherhood with their countrymen from the Nigerian expatriate community in Miri, all of whom are engaged in the oil and gas industry, by getting together for a celebration dinner at the Marina Seafood Restaurant.
Chuma I.S. Mienakaya, who is the president of Curtin Sarawak’s Student Council, said the various activities made the celebration more meaningful and memorable for the Nigerian Students.
“We wanted to take the opportunity to give back to the local community; to extend a caring hand to those in need on the special occasion of our 50th Independence Day. We also wanted to celebrate with the Nigerian families here, as well as extend a hand of friendship to people of other nationalities residing in Miri,” said Chuma.
According to Chuma, the Nigerian students at Curtin Sarawak would get together on their Independence Day each year, but this year’s celebration was special as it marked Nigeria’s fiftieth year of nationhood.
Nigerian students and Professor Ian Kerr and James Ng with items to be donated to the orphanages
Paying courtesy call on Miri Mayor Lawrence Lai
With children and staff of Methodist Children's Home
With children and staff of Kompleks Kebajikan Hamidah Yakup
